The STAR Interview Technique
The STAR interview technique is a method that can help you, as a candidate, effectively communicate your past job performance to potential employers. The acronym stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result, and it is a way for you to showcase your skills and experiences in a structured and organized manner.
During a STAR interview, you may be asked to provide a Situation which you have faced in the past. This could be a specific challenge or problem you had to solve. For example, "Can you tell me about a time when you had to handle a difficult customer?"
After providing the situation, you may be asked to describe the Task you were faced with. This will help the employer understand the specific problem you had to solve and how you approached it. For example, "What was the problem the customer was facing and what did you need to do to resolve it?"
The next step is to describe the Action you took to solve the problem. This will give the employer insight into how you think and approach problems. For example, "How did you approach the situation and what steps did you take to resolve the problem?"
Finally, you will be asked to describe the result of your actions. This will show the employer the impact of your actions and the outcome of the situation. For example, "What was the outcome of your actions and how did it benefit the customer and the company?"
Example: Situation: A customer at a retail store was returning a defective product. Task: The customer was unhappy with the product and wanted a full refund. Action: I listened to the customer's complaint and confirmed the product was defective. I apologized for the inconvenience and processed the refund. I also offered the customer a discount on their next purchase to ensure their satisfaction. Result: The customer left the store satisfied with the refund and discount, and I was able to resolve the issue without any further complaints.
By using the STAR interview technique, you can effectively communicate your past job performance and demonstrate how your skills and experiences can be valuable to the potential employer. Remembering to focus on the specific situation, task, action, and result of your experience will help you to stand out in the interview process and make a strong impression.
What does STAR mean?
S - Situation: Describing a specific event or challenge encountered in past job experiences, such as a problem, a customer complaint, a project, or any other scenario that had to be dealt with.
T - Task: In any situation, there is always an objective or goal that needs to be accomplished, it's the specific problem that had to be solved or the action that had to be taken.
A - Action: The steps or strategies taken to address the task or problem, the approach to solving the problem and the actions taken to achieve the goal.
R - Result: The outcome or impact of the actions taken, the final result of the situation and the effect of the actions on the task or problem. This includes the benefit it brought to the customer, the company or any other relevant parties.
What are the benefits of using the STAR technique?
The STAR technique allows for a clear, organized and structured way to showcase one's skills, experience and accomplishments.
It helps to demonstrate how one thinks, approaches problems and the impact of their actions.
The technique allows to give specific examples of past experiences and show how they are qualified for the job.
It allows the employer to understand how one may handle similar situations in the future.
The STAR technique allows presenting one's achievements and how it helped in the company's success.
It helps the employer to see how the specific situation was dealt with and how it was improved.
